HINDU GODS

December 08, 2008

Purusha Sooktam

1. A thousand heads has the Universal man, Purusha; as also a thousand eyes and a thousand feet He has. He spreads over the earth on all sides and beyond it as far as ten fingers can count. [Infinite numbers, without a beginning or end.]

3. What we see here is all the greatness of this Purusha, the Man, and is yet more than this. All creatures of this universe is only a quarter of Him and the other three quarters are what is remaining immortal in Heaven.

4. This three fourths of Purusha arise beyond the universe. One fourth of him only arose again and again here on earth. Thence, as He spread in all directions, appeared all those creations that eats food and that which eats not on this earth.

5. From him the brilliant Viraaj was born, from Viraj came the primal Purusha.When he was born, he spread beyond the earth, on all the sides to create all beings.[Viraj is the Female principle, which with the primal Purusha produces the concrete universe. In the Atharvaveda She is an independent creative principle identified with Brahma, with speech and with Prajapathi.]

7. Seven Devas were the sticks that enclose the place of Yajña (Sacrificial Fire rituals), thrice seven [21] philosophical principles were made the fuel sticks; the Devas performed the Yajña and they bound the Purusha as the cow at the Yajña.

10. From that sacrifice completely offered were born the verses (Rg Veda) andthe Saaman Melodies (Saamaveda). The Chhandhas metres were born from it.From it was born the Sacrificial formula (Yajurveda).

13. His mouth formed the Brahmin (teacher or Priest), his two arms were made the Rajaanya (Kshathriya or warrior), his two thighs the Vaisyaa (traders or Agriculturist) and from his feet the Soodhra (worker or servant) was born.